Water heater



J. F. WALSH WATER HEATER Juiy 2, 1935.

Filed March 9, 1935" INVENTOR. Jhmes FWA/sk.

BY M+Am A TTORNEYS Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER HEATER James F. Walsh, Cleveland, Ohio Application March 9,1935, Serial No. 10, 1 39 2 Claims. (01. 257-235) Thisinvention relates broadly to a means for heating water in a heating system for domestic use.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide 5 a Water heater of self contained character particularly applicable for utilization of waste heat of combustion from heating furnaces and/ or waste heat of steam.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

, My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, will be best understood by reference to the, following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing.

It will be understood that the principles of my invention may be embodied in various forms, and that exact details are not material. The present invention, therefore, is to be considered as merely indicative.

The form illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter described in detail has been found to be one of the practical embodiments and capable of efficient operation and practical in construction for use with hot air furnaces, and with slight modifications in a steam line.

In the generation of steam in a boiler, or hot air in a hot air furnace, the escape of high temperature flue gases by way of the chimney is a source of considerable waste. This waste may be minimized by the installation of the water heater, the subject matter of this invention, the function of which is to take heat from the waste gases, or steam if placed in a steam line, and impart it to the water in the heater. Besides acting as a fuel saver, this means provides a large reserve of hot water to meet domestic demands.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section, partly in elevation of a construction and arrangement for accomplishing the objects, of my invention, shown in connection with a conventional heating unit A and a gas water heater B.

The same part is designated by the same reference character wherever it occurs in the draw- In accordance with my invention, I employ an outer shell l0, preferably square in cross section, and an inner shell II also square in cross section. The end I2 of the inner shell I i that enters the stack opening I 3 may be drawn from a square to a round formation so as to enter a round opening leading into the chimney.

The outer shell is held in spaced relation with the inner shell by means of the ends l4 and IS. The space I6 is utilized to accommodate the water that entirely surrounds the inner shell. The

inner shell is provided with staggered water cir-' culating tubes l1; l1; I! that extend across the passage l8 in the inner shell I I, against which the hot gases impinge and pass on their way to'the chimney;

The outer shell is so constructed that each tube Plugs may be readily examined, by simply removing the 19; I9; l9; l9 therein and holding a light .at one end and looking through the tube from the other. I

In steam generator or hot water practice the rate of heat transmission is much less than would be expected, and this is apparently due to something in the nature of a stationary film of gas on the one side, and of water on the other through which the heat is transmitted at much less rate than through metal.

The rate of transmission through such-film is much more rapid on the water than on the gas sides, as water carries heat more quickly than gas.

It is well known that the employment of projection's, baflles or retarders in fines, by breaking up th e gases, undoubtedly helps to destroy the gas film and assist heat transmission, to accomplish this feature I stagger the water circulating tubes.

One of the great advantages of this heater is that it may be shortened when constructed to make a very squat heater, making it particularly thus ensuring a very eflicient heat transfer throughout the whole inner surface of the chamber.

The hot water may leave the heater througha'. pipe circuit as at 2 l. c

The water circulating tubes are installed as follows, a description of the installation of one will suffice for all.

In the internal shell II there is provided a series of openings 22; 22'; 22; 22;

diametrically opposite each other. 23, 23, 24, 24, is provided a suitable washer as at 26, 26.

The ends 23, 23, of the tubes are fitted with a thread 24, 24, and nuts 25, 25. Under each nut there The tube being mounted in place, the nuts are tight ened against the washers, and the tube is secured in place. With this method it is unnecessary to head over or expand the tubes in the holes in the plate.

Each tube has its full area for escape of to the cold waterline. r a In the summer season, a stove pipe "may be section to receive the construction shown. The valve chest is providedwith a cap 32, screw-,

bolts 33 serving to flx the cap in position. The threaded stem 34 of the valve is threadedly mounted in the cover. The valve 29 ismounted for free rotation on the valve stem 34.: The end of. the shell is closed by a removably mounted plate 35. The shell is also provided witl'ra drain outlet pipe 36, having a removably mounted cap or closure 31' thereon. The shellat this particular end may be provided withr-an'opening 38' adapted to accommodate a stove pipe 39 connected'to' a gas waterheater of conventional designsuch as B. h 7

'Ih'e 'hot'water supply pipe 40 maybe piped directly through the chamber in theshelljl I from the storage water heater of the gas water heater B, the purpose of which is hereinafter set forth. ,The other end of the shell is provided with a damper 41-. This damper has a dual function, first as a draught regulator, and second as a valve. It is used as a valve in the washing operation'ofthechamber hereinafter explained.

I The hot water piping 40 may communicatewith the nozzles 42 and 43, having a suitable control valve 44 therein to control the water.; The nozzles are given a pitch downwardly and upwardly towardthe inlet, orwhere the flue gases enter the chamber. Obviously the nozzlesmay be positioned around the inner perimeter of the chamber so that belts or zones-may be cleaned if desired. The inflow of'the coldwater and the outflow of the hot water may be altered to meet the exigencies of use, and further the washing system may be changed from the hot water line connected to the chamber in the opening 38, and theflue gas utilized to assistin heating the water in the pipe 40 that may pass through the cham- I ber, thus the flue gas from;the"gas water heater as follows.

acts as an auxiliary to heat the water. I

. In the summer season'the valve 29 is screwed down toclose the inletopening thus'cuttingo the furnace proper from the heater. The-gas water heater may be connected to a suitable gas supply. through piping 45' having a gas burner 46 connected therewith; z" a f The washing out of the heater is accomplished The valve 29 is screwed down to close the inlet 21 to prevent the water from finding its way back into the inlet, and hence into the furnace. The draught regulator 4| is closed to prevent the water or steam getting into the chimney. The cap 31 is removed from the drain outlet leg 36. The control valve 44 is releasedto let the water into the chamber where it is delivered against the interior wall of the chamber thus removing the soot therefrom with approximately the same thoroughness as if it were manually scraped therefrom. The water with the soot is' carried oil through the drain pipe andconducted away'through the sewer by any convenient arrangement of piping (not shown) To. scrape the interior of the chamber the cap 35 may be removed to give access thereto.

;While I have herein shown and described a preferred arrangement, it will be readily understood that changes and modifications therein may vbe foundrdesirable or essential in meeting the various exigencies of use, and I desire to be understood as-reserving the'right to make any;

and all such changes or modifications as may'be found desirable or essential, in so far as the same may fall within the spirit andscope of the invention as expressedjin the accompanying claims when broadly construed. v r

1 Having thus described my invention what claim is: v 1 v -1. An apparatus for generating hot water for domestic use, comprising a rectangular chamber having an outlet, a damper located in the cham ber atthe outlet, an inlet pipe projecting into the chamber, a valve normally inactive above the said inlet pipe and adapted to close the inlet, remova 'bly' mounted circulating tubes extending across the chamber in staggered formation so that the fluegases entering said chamber maybe influenced uniformly around the perimeter 'of the said chamber, an outer rectangular shell surrounding the chamber and held in spaced relation A therefrom and having its ends secured 'to 'the chamber-,said surrounding shell being provided with. openings opposite said circulating tubes, plugs to close said openings, means in the cham-' beitwhereby the chamber may be washed, andga drain pipe to drain the chamber afterwashing.

2. An apparatus for generating'hot water for domestic use, the-combinationof an inner flue shell having an inlet and an outlet, an outer shell encircling-the inner shell and forming a chamber r therearound for receiving a fluid to be heated, removably mounted tubes passing transversely through the inner shell, openings in the outer shell in alignment with said tubes, removable plugs insaid openings, a removable closure plate on" one end of the inner shell, a valve adapted to close the inlet, a draft regulator adjacent the outlet, a drainjpipe, said drain pipe adapted to drain the inner shell after washing, and means I foradmitting fluid into the inner shell whereby the same may be washed.

i h i JAMES F. WALSH. 

